Friday, September 26, 2014

All-Shonda Rhimes Thursday Debuts Strong for ABC, 14 Million Watch 'How to Get Away with Murder'

Opposite CBS' Thursday Night Football, ABC was the dominant non-sports net on season premiere Thursday in Total Viewers (11.9 million) and Adults 18-49 (3.5/11). With its new drama lineup, ABC delivered the Top 3 entertainment shows of the night in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 with the debut of How to Get Away with Murder (14.0 million and 3.8/11), the premiere of Scandal in its new 9 p.m. slot (11.9 million and 3.8/11), and the premiere of Grey's in its new 8 p.m. slot (9.8 million and 3.0/10), respectively. How to Get Away with Murder was the night's most-watched show overall.

In fact, with How to Get Away with Murder and Black-ish, ABC has now delivered the season’s Top 2 new TV shows in Adults 18-49, qualifying as the two highest rated debuts on any net since ABC’s Resurrection opened in March – since 3/9/14. overall.

In viewers and young adults, ABC marked its strongest Thursday night in 5 years – since 9/24/09.

Despite its earlier slot and facing Thursday Night Football, Grey's was up from its May finale in viewers and young adults (8.9 million and 2.6/8 on 5/15/14) and also topped its year-ago 2-hour season opener in Total Viewers (9.3 million on 9/26/13). In fact, Grey's earned its most-watched telecast overall in 2 years – since 10/4/12.

Despite shifting back an hour into its new 9 p.m. slot, Scandal scored series highs in Total Viewers (11.9 million) and Adults 18-49 (3.8/11), building over the year-ago premiere by 13% and 6%, respectively.

Building on its Scandal lead-in in Total Viewers (+18%) and holding 100% in Adults 18-49 at 10 p.m., How to Get Away with Murder (14.0 million and 3.8/11) opened as TV's most-watched 10 p.m. drama debut in 2 years and tied and the highest among Adults 18-49 (matching last year’s Blacklist debut) in 2 years – since 9/25/12 and 9/17/12, respectively.

Watch the sexy How to Get Away with Murder scene viewers were talking about last night featuring Jack Falahee as Connor Walsh.